Jain Perspective on Dignified Death: Sallekhana Practice and Modern Debates

Summary

The book *Sallekhana: The Jain Approach to Dignified Death*, edited by Shugan Chand Jain and Christopher Key Chapple, addresses the controversial Jain practice of voluntary fasting unto death, known as *Samadhi Maran*. The text highlights legal challenges filed between 2006 and 2013 by non-Jain lawyers seeking to ban the practice, labeling it as suicide, while some Jains also questioned its relevance. In response, the International School for Jain Studies organized three international seminars involving philosophers, lawyers, and medical practitioners to examine the practice from biomedical, legal, historical, and religious perspectives. The book compiles twelve essays presenting a balanced view of these debates, incorporating both traditional Indian and modern Western perspectives without offering a definitive stance. It leaves the conclusion to the reader. The appendix includes detailed seminar proceedings, a 24-point analysis distinguishing suicide from Sallekhana in Hindi and English, a case history of a Jain doctor’s Sallekhana, an account of an American woman’s voluntary fasting unto death, and a Hindi poem with English translation. The book serves as a valuable resource for English-speaking audiences, offering comprehensive insights into this ancient practice amid contemporary ethical and legal debates.